Well a few points here. First of all, which tax payer are we talking about? Are we talking about the top5% of of superrrich americans or are we talking about average joe taxpayer.

Average Joe Taxpayer already spends a large chunk of his earnings on insurance. Apart fromt he insurance he pays for himself and his family ( if he can afford it) there is of course the question of all the hidden costs as Gary mentioned.

Average Joe is already paying a crapload to stay healthy.. only it's not in the form of "taxes" on his tax returns.

The only segment of society that BENEFITS from the absence of Universal Healthcare are :

a) The more affluent segment of society ( which earns so much that 2% of their income FAR EXCEEDS what they would spend on healthcare - as opposed to average joe for whom insurance and medical expenses make up a substantial part of his monthly expenditure) Raising taxes to provide free healthcare would actually work out CHEAPER for average joe. But it would be a real kick in the nuts for the superrich - which is why they are so vehement in their opposition to it.

b) The Insurance Industry, for whom making a PROFIT supercedes the health and wellbeing of those they insure.

Average Joe would GAIN FINANCIALLY with universal healthcare. And since Average Joe makes up the majority of your population i would think that THEIR needs are the most important no? Unfortunately it is the superrich that lead your country, and control american ideology. All they have to do is condemn universal healthcare as INEFFICIENT ( because of course when you support a parrallel insurance industry, things are SO MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE ) and as "SOCIALISM" ( tantamount to COMMUNISM, and such an unspeakable "evil" that they do not even ehave to justify their condemnation).

See i would understand the opposition to universal healthcare if there was a shred of evidence to prove that it was detrimental to the average citizen, if there was ANY PROOF that universal healthcare was MORE Expensive for the average citizen ( as opposed to being more expensive only to the RICH) , if there was even the SHADOW of a doubt as to the advantages of PREVENTATIVE care from free consultation over curative care in an overloaded hospital. But there isn't.

Universal healthcare is a BRILLIANT idea for the US> It will boost productivity, engender faith in your government, it will create a happier nation, it will make society more egalitarian, and it will rid you of the vultures that make profits by gambling with your health.

For your own sake